


For Wakanda

by yellow_sunrise



Series: Wakanda Forever [1]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Angst, Betrayal, Bucky Is Treated Decently, F/M, Gen, Healing, Mention of Original Female Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellow_sunrise/pseuds/yellow_sunrise
Summary: Okoye knows that it is a wasted visit, but she must see him anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is based off the Black Panther movie and does contain spoilers, so if you haven't watched that's what you're in for.

Okoye rarely afforded herself moments of weakness and as such, very few people knew about her visit. As such, Okoye took the morning off in order to have the time to gather her wits and leave.

The trip to Wakanda’s prison was sort and silent and Okoye showed up in Dora Milaje regalia. There was no need of course, but she always felt more comfortable dressed in her armor.

“So, you’ve come after all beloved,” W’Kabi greeted, facing Okoye as he sat cross legged on the floor. Okoye stared at her love, still heartbroken by him.

“Of course I have. We are still engaged to be married,” she told him, her face carefully blank. W’Kabi smiled at that and stood up, walking closer so that they were mere inches apart, separated by the invisible barrier of his cell. Another one of Shuri’s incredible designs. It was like he wasn’t in a cell, hadn’t allowed their country to nearly be lead to ruin by a dangerous, war-mongering criminal.

“Are we? Can we marry if I’m in here, left to rot? And you out there?” he asked pointedly. He was not shackled but he was certainly imprisoned. Okoye suspected that it was T’Challa’s friendship that kept him out of bonds.

“You did this, to you. You should have honored our customs. He wasn’t rightfully king,” Okoye whispered.

“But he was doing what he promised, unlike your king.” W’Kabi commented plainly.

“Maybe. But you were not thinking of Wakanda. You were thinking of your vengeance. You were willing to allow something terrible, do something terrible for that vengeance. Even if it meant Wakanda would be sucked into perpetual war.” She told him, her face tight with grief.

“Times are changing Okoye, so we must change too,”

“So you would send my sisters to battle over your arrogance. We are not a country that wages war unless we need to. We did not go to war over theft, and we certainly didn’t for the murder of our king. How could believe that going to war for domination was the right thing to do?” she asked.

W’Kabi was silent, although he didn’t look away. He took a step back and waited a few seconds.

“Perhaps I did not want to do the right thing, General.” He told her coldly. Okoye would have cried, but she couldn’t, not in front of him.

“Then you are not the man I thought you were,” she said quietly. She too took a step back and turned away. She walked away silently and made it back to the barracks. Her sisters in arms greeted her and she did so as well, but her heart was still miles below the surface of the earth, breaking.


	2. My Name Is..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuri did not know it at the time, but she is a healer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen before anyone decides to act crazy this is purely platonic and that is ALL. DO NOT let me catch you saying weird pedophilic shit or I'm erasing your comment. Anyway, hope you like.

“You know, this is not really a good idea,” Shuri commented as she pulled up a holographic image of James Barnes’ brain.

“I made a mistake Shuri, one that now I am attempting to fix.”

“You mean that I am fixing for you.” She retorted, examining the brain closely.

“If that’s how you see it.” He told her.

“I’m not saying that it’s wrong of course. He’s a victim. But if he wakes up unexpectedly the Dora are going to be very upset if he tries to hurt us.”

“Which is why your brilliant forcefield will protect us,” he told her.

Shuri smiled at his flattery but most of her attention was still on Barnes. She’d been given full access to his cerebral functions, but she wanted to see what happened when he woke up. After all, if he wanted a life, he’d need to be awake. Shuri looked at her brother who was standing close by, and at the Dora, standing in various locations around the room.

“Well I hope you’re ready everyone because he’d waking up,” she said. Sure enough, Barnes began to stir and she watched both Barnes and his holographic brain. When he noticed her, he showed signs of wariness and confusion. He saw T’Challa and reacted with wariness, some fear and even anticipation. He sat up quickly but made no move to get up.

“Hello Sergeant Barnes. How are you?” she asked politely. He stared at her before looking at T’Challa again.

“Where am I?”

“You are in Wakanda, in my sister’s lab. She’s going to help you.” T’Challa said.

“Help me?”

“I’m going to remove your triggers, Sergeant Barnes. I’ll need to understand the scope of them first, but I believe I can help you.” She explained.

“Why are you doing this?” Barnes asked quietly, his face drawn tight with worry and his body tense.

“Because I tried to kill an innocent man.”

“I’m no innocent,” Barnes said quietly.

“Maybe not, but you don’t deserve to suffer,” Shuri said firmly. “Now, you can refuse my help of course, but I wouldn’t. Your friend Captain Rogers has already left the country, but he seemed quite confident that we could help you. But only if you want us to,” she said.

Barnes closed his eyes.

“I only went back on ice because you said you’d wake me up only when you could fix me.”

“I can remove the trigges Sergeant Barnes, but I’m afraid you’ll need to rehabilitate as well. You’d have to agree to that as well,” she told him plainly.

“As in, I have to be around people.”

“Yes. But don’t worry, Wakandans, we are quite capable.” Shuri told him.

“I’m a highly dangerous assassin.”

“And my brother defeated you numerous times in combat and my personal guard are highly trained as well. And you are behind a force field. We are safe and so are you,” she assured him.

Barnes considered this and then nodded.

“Okay. I accept rehabilitation,” he said, looking at Shuri.

“Good. I’m Shuri by the way. And don’t worry, after you’ve assimilated into society I’ll give you a new arm. We have the technology,” she told him. T’Challa snorted and Shuri shot him an impish grin.

As it turned out, Shuri was able to completely remove Barnes’ reactions to the triggers in only a week. Decades of continued torture and brainwashing, repaired in the lab of a sixteen year old girl in a week.

Barnes owed her his new life.

Of course, once he was deemed not an immediate danger to the population Shuri recommended him several hair wash products and relocated him to a small home on the outskirts. He couldn’t live in the main city, as overstimulation might cause regression or simply make him distraught.

She assigned a caretaker to him, and he had his own surrogate family.

He was progressing quite well on his own and Shuri visited him every two weeks to make sure that he was okay. She hated to think of him like a pet project but it was probably the same as finding a wounded animal and nursing them back to health, although it was more like nursing a very sick man and realizing that you wanted the best for him. Perhaps Shuri would’ve made a great doctor.

“And how are you today?”

“I feel refreshed. Lighter.”

“You’re missing an arm,” Shuri joked. Barnes smiled sometimes and this was on of those times. She knew he was born in the 1900s so she expected him to be somewhat dour and boring, especially given his history but he was pretty quiet but still pleasant. Today they were close to his new home, and the children around were running around playing tag and asked him to join them quite often.

“I mean my whole body. Even though I gained weight I feel better than I ever have.” He told her sincerely. 

“Good. How are your chores? Hobbies?”

“The chores are easy. And my hobbies are basically watching the kids. But I’ve started a journal like you suggested. It helps. And I’ve done some other writing too,” he told her quietly.

“Really? Do you like it?”

“Maybe. A lot of it is just what I miss about back home,” he said. For Barnes home could be any number of things. It could be America. It could be the time he missed out on. It could even be a person but Shuri didn’t pry. She was talking to him as a friend, not a therapist, as he already had one of those.

“You seem quite content. But you know, you could get your arm any time.” She told him. She’d already done a blueprint and a design and was actually in the process of creating the arm. She just needed to connect it to his neural receptors.

“Maybe. But I think the kids like doing my hair.”

“They can still do it! You just have to ask nicely. They’re probably not used to seeing hair like this still,” Shuri told him. His hair was much better looking than when he first arrived in her lab. It was longer, fuller, and shiny. His skin was also quite tan, and he just seemed so much happier. At this rate if he walked into the main city he might very well have to beat away the women, although he was hardly the most handsome man walking around.

“I’d be embarrassed,” he admitted.

“Luckily for you, children are hard to embarrass. But we can wait however long you need,” she told him.

“Thank you. I wonder a lot, about when I’ll have to leave.” He said quietly.

“No one from the council knows you’re here but if they did, it’s possible that they would ask that you leave. I don’t mind if you stay. Besides, my brother plans to open up our borders to offer aid. You were just our first case,” she told him grinning. Barnes nodded.

“I wouldn’t mind staying. But there are people I have to see, that aren’t here.”

“You mean Captain Rogers,” she guessed. He nodded.

“And others. There are things I want to say,” he said.

“Of course. You know Sergeant Barnes,” she began. “You’re a very strange man. You said you love being alone but I saw you on a walk with Gameli earlier,” she told him. His face turned pink and Shuri snickered at him.

“Don’t worry Sergeant Barnes. I know that you have no intentions, but her mother might think so,” Shuri warned.

“She’s a kid,” Barnes said.

“She’s twenty-three although you are pushing one hundred. What’s it like being so spry for your old age?” she teased. Barnes scowled but he laughed anyway.

“What’s it like being a kid genius?” he countered.

“Fabulous!”

They stayed quiet for a while and Barnes finally spoke again.

“You can call me Bucky,” he said. Shuri turned to him and grinned.

“Good. I was trying to be polite, but I feel Sergeant Barnes is a mouthful. Are you going to tell the children to call you that?”

“Yes. It’s time I was myself again.” He told her. Shuri stood up and stretched her arms.

“Well then Bucky. Welcome to Wakanda.” she greeted.


	3. I'm Gonna Get There Someday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuri gets some physical training but a promise can sweeten the deal.

“Perhaps,” Shuri panted with exertion as she crested over her exhaustion threshold. “This was a mistake, brother.” She didn’t stop however, as T’Challa simply smiled at her enigmatically. She was sure that it was karma for all her pranks over the years but it’s not like he didn’t give as much as he got.

“Ah, but you’re doing quite well. I’m impressed.” He told her, Shuri simply kept running, annoyed that T’Challa was keeping pace with her which emphasized just how much he was toning it down for her.

“You are evil.” She remarked.

T’Challa laughed but stayed silent. Eventually Shuri simply could not go on and she slowed to a stop, and gulped down lungfuls of air, desperate for water. She held out her hand and T’Challa provided water, although Shuri made a face when she realized that she’d have to do cooldown stretches. She only wanted to lay down.

“You did a good job. Just over ten miles in forty-five minutes. That’s twenty minutes better than three months ago.” He told her. Shuri nodded and put her fist out for a fist bump and T’Challa pulled her up and handed her a towel.

“You know, when you said you’d help me train I was expecting more exciting obstacle courses.” She admitted.

“I know. But you need to know how to run first.”

“I can run! It’s very easy, one foot in front then the next, alternatively.” She grouched.

“You are the one who said she didn’t want a personal guard while she worked. So you have to work hard.”

“You’re not even going to take away the guard. You’re just going to reduce it.” She pointed out.

“You should have a full guard. But I also think that you want an opportunity to shine,” he told her.

“I’m always shining,” she snapped. She was frustrated of course. In her lab, she was in charge, knew everything she needed to. Out here in the field, she knew what to do but it didn’t come as naturally. She’d received basic training as she got older but truthfully, she hadn’t kept up with it. At least T’Challa was helping her.

“Alright, start stretching,” he told her. She stood up and stretched out her muscles, sighing as the relief washed through her. She had to admit, stretching after physical effort was extremely satisfying, not to mention this meant that now she could go eat.

“You know, Nakia needs a new assignment. You should assign her to me,” Shuri suggested.

“Oh yeah? And if Nakia says no?”

“Well then I guess I can have a different head of my guard. But you know, Nakia and I get along. Like sisters…in law.”

“Oh, not again,” he muttered.

“What do you mean not again? You ask her more than I suggest it.” Shuri complained.

“Perhaps, but Nakia has also stated that she does not want to. A shame, she’d make a great queen,” he shook his head. Shuri finally stood up and patted him on the back.

“Do no worry brother. Someday you will have a wife. You won’t be forever alone,” she said, walking back towards the car.

 

Back at the embassy, Shuri was much more at home, although she was shaking her head.

“The architecture around here is so boring! But you can’t expect much I suppose,” she said. T’Challa rolled his eyes.

“There’s nothing wrong with their buildings. They’re functional,” he pointed out.

“And boring!” she added. As she walked to her personal quarters, he head of her guard Zi, greeted her.

“Princess how was your training?”

“Uneventful, I only got to run,” she said, cutting a look to her brother.

“That is a good start,” Zi commented with a wide smile.

“Maybe. But I want to get to the fun stuff,” she grinned. Of course, Shuri was not content to not have a lab of her own in the embassy, but she was cautious about having so much advanced Wakandan technology in a foreign country. So, she had remote control of rudimentary things in her lab back home. It wasn’t quite the same, but it was a good way to keep up with her work while she was here.

“Fun stuff?”

“Yes. I need more discreet weapons, as my gauntlets would gather too much attention,” she pointed out.

“And what do you suppose you have?”

“Not sure yet. But I’ll let you know when I figure it out,” she grinned.

“Shuri, your excitement is making me worried. Why do I feel like you are going to be irresponsible?”

Shuri frowned.

“I know that I’m playful brother, but I’ll definitely be careful. I’m representing Wakanda, and what could be more important?” she asked. T’Challa smiled at that and his worries seemed to melt away.

“Now, when can I go to Disney World?” she asked impatiently, pulling a pair of Mickey Mouse ears from under her work desk, onto her head.

“Not today. You get a break and then it’s combat training,” T’Challa said.

“You know, I may have wanted to have a more exciting obstacle course, however I don’t really want to get beat up by my brother or my personal guard.” Shuri replied.

“If you can last ten minutes we’ll go to Disney World,” T’Challa bargained. 

“Ha! Deal.” Shuri said, shaking T’Challa’s hand. 

“Good. In an hour you’re going to spar with Zi and then we can go to Disney World,” T’Challa said.

“Yes! Let me make my Instagram public so I can post pictures. Hey, if we tell them the Princess of Wakanda is going I can meet my favorites?”

“Maybe. If you win our bet.”

Shuri distracted herself with youtube videos and vines, but most of her thoughts were absorbed with analyzing the fighting style of the Black Panther and the Dora. Most of it was speed rather than strength and having a moving center of gravity. Shuri would have to exploit the weaknesses in the fighting styles, but it’d be difficult if she had to do it. She was pretty strong but not very fast.

“Shut up Shuri. Self-doubt doesn’t beget results. You are royalty of Wakanda. Set out and do it.” She whispered.

When it came time for Shuri to fight Zi, she was quite confident that she could keep the fight going. Her whole Disney trip was riding on this!

Of course, when it was time to fight, Shuri was more than ready, though quite skittish.

The second Zi came in the room she was running at Shuri, a neat kick aimed at her head. Shuri barely ducked in time. She rolled to get behind Zi and then slid back about two feet.

“Good Your Highness, you’re on guard. Now, can you last ten minutes?”

“Yep,” Shuri grinned her teeth bared.

For seven minutes, Shuri evaded and sometimes attacked Zi, though not efficiently and most definitely not very elegantly but she was doing it.

“Yield princess! You need more training to defeat me,”

“Not trying to defeat, just trying not to yield. I’m getting my Disney trip.” She growled. Zi moved forward and grabbed Shuri, using her own weight to toss her over her shoulder. Shuri wrapped her legs around Zi and twisted, bringing both down to the floor. Shuri risked one punch the back of Zi’s head but danced out of her grip when she tried to retaliate.

“Very good your highness! You are proving to hold your own,” Zi complimented.

“Thanks, I’ve been watching,” Shuri said, sidestepping a kick only to be punched in the solar plexus. She let herself fall, and when Zi went to pin her, Shuri rolled away and swept her leg, tripping up Zi enough to kick her in the shoulder. Shuri rubbed at her chest but she kept her eyes on her opponent.

The two circled each other and Shuri kept dancing out of range, though she was starting to tire.

“Getting tired? You can yield,” Zi suggested. 

“Not. On. Your. Life.” Shuri laughed.  
Shuri began a final gauntlet and ran at Zi and slid between her legs and grabbed an ankle, knocking Zi down. Shuri scrambled up and pinned Zi as best she could, though Zi flipped their positions soon enough.

“Are you done now?”

“By my count I’ve got ten seconds an I’m not yielding.” Shuri said before leaning up and biting Zi. The woman yelped in surprise more than pain and jerked, enough for Shuri to slip away.

“Ten minutes. I win.” Shuri grinned. Zi stood up and clapped. 

“Congratulations princess. You’re going to Disney World,” she said.

Shuri sighed and did a fist pump.

“Thank Bast, I think I’m gonna throw up if I have to run around you anymore.” Shuri confessed.

“Please don’t.” Zi said.

“I’m not. But I am going to rub this in T’Challa’s face for about five years. See ya, Zi!”

Shuri barely made it to her own room before passing out. She deserved a good rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, I don't know how to end this so here's an abrupt and cheesy ending!


End file.
